Conveyer for fodder-cutters



mo Model.) a sheets-sheet 1.

J. DICK. GONVEYER FOR FODDER GUTTERS.

Patented July 23, 1895.

a" sheetssheet 2.

(Nb Model.)

J. DICK. v BONVEYEB BOB. FODDER GUTTERS.

No. 542,996. Patented July 23, 1895 MVEWTOZ? Wlf/VESSZS 5%. .446/

M I a Sheets-Sheet a. J. DICK. GONVEYER FOR FODDER UUTTERS.

No.- 542,996. Patented July 23, 1895.

NI'TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH DICK, OF CANTON, OHIO.

CONVEYER FOR FODDER-CUTTERS.

$PEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,996, dated July 23,1895.

Application filed July 30, 1894:. serial No. 518,972. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH DICK, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Canton, county of Stark, State of Ohio, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Conveyers for Fodder-Cutters, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in conveyers for fodder-cutters;and it consists of certain features of construction and combination ofparts, as will be herein-after described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectionthrough the joint connecting the elevated portion of the conveyer withthe horizontal portion. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through therear section, showing the continuous bottom board,

the chain, the chain-guides, and the buckets and trap-doors. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the driving-gear. Fig. 5 is asection through thedriving-gear on the line no on. Fig. 6 isa perspective and an end viewof chain-guide. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of an elbow-clamp andchain-rol1er,-as shown in Fig. 1, enlarged. Fig. 8 is a side View ofelbow-clamp and chainguide from the inside. Fig. 9 is a perspective anda side elevation of a chain-guide. Fig. 10 is a side view of parallelclamp shown in Fig. 1, enlarged. Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view ofthe same. Fig. 11 is a perspective of a chain-guide shown in Fig. 1,enlarged. Fig. 12 is a section of chain -guide, showing the manner ofsecuring same to the side board. Fig. 13 is a perspective of thehorizontal portion of the conveyor, showing the extension or chaintightener. Fig. 14 is a cross-section of the horizontal trough, showingbuckets above and below the floor. Fig. 15 is a section through thechaintightener. Fig. 16, is aside View of chain-tightener, pinion, andwrench. Fig. 17 is a side view of chain with flights attached. Fig. 18is a perspective of a port-ion of two links and coupler. Fig. 19 is asection of chain through w 00". Fig. 20 is a perspective of a link ofchain and flight-holder, the end of flight shown by dotted lines. Fig.20 is a sectional view .of the --flight and holder applied. Fig.

21 is a side elevation of corner support and hinge shown in Figs. 1 and13.

A, B, O, and D represent the bottom and E, F, G, and H the side boardsthat form the trough in the several sections or divisions, which for thepurpose of this application I have numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4, beginningwith the lower or horizontal section designated 1. At the front end ofsection 1 is provided a cast metal support 0', having aforwardlyprojected arm a,in which is provided an elongated aperture band a rack c, as shown, cast integral with the support. In the insideface of the arm a is provided a recess d, as shown in Fig. 18. Asleeve-spindle h is provided,

having a transverse flange 61', which is placed in the recess d. Achain-wheel f is placed on the sleeve, as shown. The bolt 6 is passedthrough the sleeve, and on the bolt outside of the arm a is placed thepinion g, that engages the rack c, and on the end of the bolt is placedthe nut h. ure is to provide means for tightening or slackening thechain. In operation, the nut h is turned back, the wrenchi placed on thepinion, as shown in Fig. 19, and the pinion turned in the rack to carrythe chain pulley forward or back to adjust the tension on the chain. Thenut h is then turned on against the pinion, which will rest against theside of the arm, thus grasping the arm between the flange d of thesleeve and the pinion to secure the spindle in desired adjustment.

At the rear end of section 1 is a cast-metal support D, having a lug 7o,projected forward, to which the upper rear portion of the side E issecured, and a similar lug l, projected rearward and up, to which thelower end of section 2 is hinged by the cast hinge-piece an about thecross shaft or rod n, about which section 2,with its connected sections,may be swung to determine the height of the discharge.

Between the bottom boards A and B of sections 1 and 2 is provided anintermediate board J, the rear edge of which is raised to the rod 12 toform an incline leading from the plane of the bottom board A to thejoint between sections 1 and 2, the object of which is to provide agraded track for the cut fodder from the first section into the secondsection. As heretofore constructed, the bottom board The object of thisstruct- Bot-section 2 is hinged to form ajuncture with the bottom boardAot' section 1, and when section 2 is raised to the angle shown in Fig.1 of the drawings the grade at the entrance of section 2 is so great andabrupt that the flights will draw the fodder against the bottom board Iwith such violence as to greatly interfere with the successfultransmission of the fodder and do violence to the chain K and flights 0.

To bridge the opening between the side boards E and F a segment-piece pis secured inside the board E, that extends over the hinge that joinsthe sections 1 and 2 and down inside of the boards F, as shown in Fig.2, to cover the gap between the ends of the section to form continuoussides and prevent the out fodder falling out, and to guide the flightsinto the trough-section E on their return journey I provide,respectively, upper and lower rearward-projectinr, wings a 11 To holdthe chain K in pcsition, a support or way, as q, is placed along on thetop side of the bottom boards, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 14, by whichthe chain is held a distance above the bottom, the slats or buckets 0 toextend below and above the chain. Above the chain and the hinge-rod n isprovided a chainguide 1", secured to the side board F to hold the chaindown on the way q over the joint between the sections 1 and 2. There isalso provided a guide t, by which the chain is held to the Way (1 at thebeginning of the ascent of the grade of the bottom board J.

At a distance above the lower end of section 2 of the trough is provideda cross cleat or bench L, secured to the side board F by the bolt 20 andclamp y. To this bench is secured brackets M, in each of which isprovided a journal-box a for the driving-shaft Z), and spindles z and zfor the wheels 0 and rollers d, respectively. On the end of shaft 1) ismounted a sprocket-wheel e, shown in Fig. 1, that in operation wouldhave a chain engagement with a similar wheel on the cutter-frame. Thereis also mounted on the shaft 1) spur-pinions f, that engage the teeth ofthe spur-wheels 0. At the side of the spurwheels 0' and integraltherewith are provided sprocket-wheels h, that engage the conveyorchainsK, that are supported on the spindle z, and chain-rollers d, supportedon spindle z, serve to hold the chains in engagement with the wheels 0.

In operation, the shaft Z) is driven by a chain-engagement of thesprocket-wheel c with a similar wheel on the foddencutter shaft. Thewheels f, carried by said shaft 1), will mesh with the spur-wheels 0',carried by the shaft 2, and thereby rotate the sprocket-wheels h, whichengage and drive the conveyer-chains K. To provide for a change of thelength of that portion of the trough embraced by the sections 2 and 3, Ihave provided clamps O, that embrace the edges of the side boards F andG and are secured thereto by the bolt and to secure the side board G inoperative position with the side boards II of the end or rear section 4,I have provided an elbow-clamp P, having flanges arranged at an angle toembrace the edges of the side boards G and II. The clamps are secured bythe bolt Z. The inside portion of the elbow-clamp is adapted to supporta chain-roller m. At thcinsidc of the lower portion of the elbow-clam pI is provided an inwardly-projected support 17. for -the chain-guide o,as shown in Fig. 8.

In operation, to lengthen that portion of the conveyer-trough designatedas sections 5. and 3 the nuts on bolts 7" and Z are turned back torelease the grasp of the flanges of the clamps on the side boards.Section 3 can then be removed and a longer section substituted thereforand clamped in operative position. The inner end of the troughdesignated as sec tion 4 is secured in the elbow-clampP and at the outerend are provided brackets Q, in which are provided journal-boxes q forcross-shaft r, on which are mounted chain-rollers s, and interjacent theends of the section is provided a chain slide or support R, as shown inFigs. 11 and 12, enlarged, having a side portion 6 to rest against theside of the trough, a downwardly-projected portion a, having sideprojections c, that form a guide or way for the chain, and to secure theguide in operative position a clamp, as w, is provided and placed on theinside of the side board II and secured by the clamping-bolt 7 In thebottom of section 4 are provided trapdoors'lflhinged to the trough by apivot (Z projected from the side of chain-carrierU, as shown in Fig. 6.When the trap-doors are closed, the chain will pass in the way q, andwhen open will pass over the carrier U, which serves to partly bridgethe opening for the chain to pass over, and thereby prevent the chaindropping into the opening in the bottom of the trough and flightscatching on the bottom board.

The openings and trapdoor may be any desired number and placed at anydesired distance apart. The object of this construction is to providemeans by which the cut fodder may be allowed to fall from the conveyorto either one of adjacent silos.

The conveyor-chain is formed of links, as A and B, and coupler O, thelink A having a Vertical side plate 1 inclined rearward, as shown inFig. 23. At the rear edge of the plate 1 is a right-angle projectedportion 2, having at its outer edge a neck portion 3and a hook 4, thehook and neck portion to pass into and through the aperture 5 in theflight 0, in which case the flight 0 will rest against the side plate 1and on the right-angle plate 2. The hook 4, having passed through theaperture 5, will rest on the front side of the slat. The link-coupler 0consists of a body portion 7, having an elongated central aperture 8,short fingers 9, to grasp the end of the links A and B, and a centralfinger b" to bend down toward or into the aperture 8 to e1nbrace the endof the link.

It will be noticed that the oblique position IIO ' of the parts 1 and 2of link A serves to carry of said spindle projecting through the elongated slot, a pinion engaging said rack, and means for clamping theparts together, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a conveyer trough and chain, of means forregulating the tension of the chain, said means comprising asupport-having a fixed rack and elongated slot and a recess in its innerface, a spindle having a disk to take into said recess, a pulley carriedby one end of said spindle, a pinion in engagement with said rack, abolt passed through said spindle, support, and pinion, and a nut uponits ends, to draw the parts together in fixed relation, substantially asset forth.

3. The combination with the conveyer trough and chain, of the support D,having lug 70 secured to the side E of the stationary or lower sectionof the trough, a lug Z, the hinge piece m, a cross-rod 11. supported bylug Z, said rod serving as a pivot or hinge pin about which the hingepiece m maybe swung, to raise or lower the second section of the trough,the chain guides M2 o and the segment p to bridge or close the spacebetween the ends of the .sides E and F, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination-with a conveyer trough and chains, of a chain drivingmechanism comprising a supporting bracket M, a driving shaft I) havingmounted on one end a sprocket wheel 6 and near each end pinionsf f, gearwheels 0' 0, supported by said bracket and in mesh with said pinions ff, said gear wheels provided with integral spur wheels h h, ,to engagethe chains and rollers, d d, journaled below the wheels, h h, to holdthe chains in contact therewith, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a fodder conveyer, comprising two or moresections, of the clamp 0 consisting of two flanged plates for embracingthe adjacent ends of the sections and a bolt inserted through eyes insaid plates for drawing the plates in fixed relation with the sides ofthe trough sections, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in a fodder conveyer, of a trough comprising aplurality of sections, a clamp the flanges of which project at anglesand grasp the edges of the adjoining trough sections, a roller carriedby each lower clamp section and adapted to supportthe return side of theconveyer chain, and a bolt for drawing the clamp sections together,substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a conveyer chain or apron, of a trough having anapertured bottom, trap-doors hinged intermediate their ends in saidapertures and provided on their under sides with curved blocks whichproject into and partially close said apertures when the trap-doors areopen and assist the chain and the flights to pass freely over theapertures, substantially-as set forth.

8. The combination in a fodder conveyer of the conveyer chain andtrough, the chain guide R, having side projections, o o, to form a way,a clamp, and bolt whereby the guide may be secured to the trough,substantially as set forth.

9. The combination in a fodder conveyer of the trough comprising aplurality of sections, a clamp comprising sections having angularlyextending flanges to embrace the edges of the adjacent trough sections,a bolt for clamping the sections of the clamp to the edges of the troughsections, said clamp having a lip '11. on its inner side, a curved guide0 seated on said lip and held thereon by a bolt, substantially as setforth.

10. The combination of a conveyer chain and aflight, a link of saidchain having a right angle plate projecting from the side thereof, saidplate being inclined forward and provided with a neck portion to passthrough the flight and a hook portion to rest on the front face thereofand support the flight in an inclined position, substantially as setforth.

11. In a conveyer chain, the combination of a link A having a side plate2, a neck portion 3, a hook 4, and a flight having an opening throughwhich the 'neck project's, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of July,A. D. 1894:.

JOSEPH DICK. Witnesses:

W. K. MILLER, BURT A. MILLER.

